Archiv: Donbass


28.11.2025 - 18:27 [ Atlantic Council ]

Putin wants to capture Ukraine’s crucial fortress belt without a fight

(August 28, 2025)

As US-led efforts to end the Russian invasion of Ukraine struggle to gain momentum, Vladimir Putin’s latest territorial demands include the surrender of strategically vital and heavily fortified Ukrainian land in the east of the country. Moscow is calling on Kyiv to unilaterally withdraw from the approximately one-third of Donetsk province that remains in Ukrainian hands as part of any peace deal. In other words, Putin aims to secure territory at the negotiating table that his army has been unable to conquer in more that three and a half years of full-scale war.

28.11.2025 - 00:39 [ Kyiv Independent ]

Russia‘s coy game: Why Kremlin won‘t commit to Trump‘s peace push

There are signs that the Kremlin is not interested in a U.S.-brokered peace deal at all, with Russian President Vladimir Putin and other top officials reiterating maximalist demands and refusing to accept any compromise.

Instead of seeking peace, the Kremlin is trying to buy time and undermine Ukraine’s allies, analysts say. Another goal is to shift the blame to Kyiv by accusing it of rejecting Russian conditions that are effectively tantamount to capitulation.

28.11.2025 - 00:31 [ Euromaidanpress.com ]

Putin in his last address: Russia ready to fight until the last Ukrainian, offers no concessions, demands Kyiv surrender Donbas

Putin reiterated that the war in Ukraine will end only when Ukraine withdraws its forces from Donbas.

“If Ukrainian troops leave the territories they occupy, the fighting will stop. If they don’t, we will achieve this through military means,” he said.

He offered no concessions from Russia’s side.

27.11.2025 - 23:59 [ Tagesschau.de ]

Putin bleibt bei seinen Bedingungen – und droht

„Wenn die ukrainischen Truppen die von ihnen gehaltenen Gebiete verlassen, werden wir die Kampfeinsätze beenden“, sagte Putin bei einem Besuch in Bischkek, der Hauptstadt Kirgistans. „Wenn sie dies nicht tun, werden wir dies mit militärischen Mitteln erreichen“, so der Kremlchef.

Aus welchen Regionen genau sich die ukrainischen Truppen zurückziehen sollten, sagte Putin nicht. Russland hatte immer wieder gefordert, dass die Ukraine die vier Regionen Donezk, Luhansk, Cherson und Saporischschja vollständig an Russland abgeben müsse – auch die Teile, die Russland nie erobert hat.

26.11.2025 - 19:13 [ RFERL.org ]

Witkoff To Moscow. Zelenskyy Is Wary. A Phone Call Leaks. A Ukraine Peace Plan Coalesces.

“I know what it’s going to take to get a peace deal done: Donetsk and maybe a land swap somewhere,” Witkoff reportedly said.

Bloomberg did not say how it obtained the recording, which was likely made by US intelligence agencies who routinely monitor and eavesdrop on foreign officials’ conversations.

25.11.2025 - 18:24 [ UnderstandingWar.org ]

The Critical Importance of Ukraine’s Fortress Belt in Donetsk Oblast

(August 12, 2025)

– The fortress belt is made up of four large cities and several towns and settlements that run north to south along the H-20 Kostyantynivka-Slovyansk highway, with a total pre-war population of over 380,537 people. The belt is 50 kilometers long (roughly 31 miles, about the distance between Washington, D.C., and Baltimore, Maryland).
– Ukraine has spent the last 11 years pouring time, money, and effort into reinforcing the fortress belt and establishing significant defense industrial and defensive infrastructure in and around these cities.
– Slovyansk and Kramatorsk form the northern half of the fortress belt and serve as significant logistics hubs for Ukrainian forces defending in Donetsk Oblast. Druzhkivka, Oleksiyevo-Druzhkivka, and Kostyantynivka serve as the southern half of the fortress belt.
– Ukrainian forces first began building up defensive positions in and around these cities after retaking them from pro-Russian proxy forces who attacked and seized Slovyansk, Kramatorsk, Druzhkivka, and Kostyantynivka in April 2014.
– Russia’s failure to seize Slovyansk in 2022 and ongoing struggles to envelop the fortress belt underscore the success of Ukraine’s long-term efforts to reinforce the fortress belt cities.

20.11.2025 - 20:30 [ UnderstandingWar.org ]

Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, November 19, 2025

(November 19, 2025)

Key Takeaways

Russia killed at least 26 Ukrainian civilians and injured at least 139 on the night of November 18 to 19 during its combined missile and drone strikes that disproportionately impacted civilian areas.
US and Russian officials reportedly drafted a 28-point peace plan that amounts to Ukraine’s full capitulation and would set conditions for renewed Russian aggression against Ukraine.
The reported proposed peace plan would deprive Ukraine of critical defensive positions and capabilities necessary to defend against future Russian aggression, apparently in exchange for nothing.
This reported peace plan is fundamentally the same as Russia’s 2022 Istanbul demands, which Russia presented to Ukraine when the circumstances on the battlefield appeared to favor Russia more heavily.
Russia’s long-held demands are dependent on the false premise that a Russian battlefield victory is inevitable.
Ukraine’s interdiction efforts are preventing Russian forces from using vehicles and concentrating manpower in Pokrovsk and are likely slowing down Russia’s rate of advance within the town.
Russian forces recently advanced near Borova and Hulyaipole.

20.11.2025 - 19:29 [ New York Times ]

U.S.-Russian Peace Plan Would Force Ukraine to Cede Land and Cut Army

(November 19, 2025)

A plan to end the war in Ukraine, negotiated between the Trump administration and Russia, would require Kyiv to surrender territory, significantly reduce the size of its army and relinquish some types of weaponry, according to officials familiar with the proposal.

The 28-point proposal, drafted without Ukrainian involvement, reflects the maximalist demands the Kremlin has made throughout the war, which Ukraine has long denounced as amounting to capitulation.

20.11.2025 - 19:23 [ Nachdenkseiten ]

Der ukrainische Korruptionsskandal als Inszenierung – Selenskyj soll stürzen

Dass die Korruptionsvorwürfe jetzt erhoben werden, deutet auf ein fein abgestimmtes Timing. Der Druck auf Selenskyj soll erhöht werden.

Inzwischen tauchen Gerüchte auf, dass Selenskyj territorialen Abtretungen an Russland unter der Bedingung zugestimmt haben soll, dass ihm persönliche Immunität und Schutz zugesichert wird. Die Ankündigung der Ermittlungsbehörde NABU, noch weitere spannende Enthüllungen auf Lager zu haben, scheint seine Wirkung auf den inneren Machtzirkel Kiews zu entfalten.

Die Korruptionsgeschichte entpuppt sich immer deutlicher als Inszenierung. Bitte nicht falsch verstehen: Natürlich ist die Ukraine bis in die politischen Eliten hinein hoch korrupt. Daran besteht kein Zweifel. Nur scheint man in den USA die Entscheidung getroffen haben, Kiew genau jetzt über den seit langem ausgelegten Fallstrick stolpern zu lassen.

24.09.2025 - 17:57 [ New York Times ]

In a Sudden Shift, Trump Says Ukraine Can Win the War With Russia

President Trump reversed himself on one of the key foreign policy issues of his presidency on Tuesday, abandoning his insistence that Ukraine give up land to strike a peace deal with Russia and instead declaring that Ukraine, with the support of Europe, was “in a position to fight and WIN all of Ukraine back in its original form.”

His turnabout on social media shortly after a meeting in New York with President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine was a head-spinning pivot.

31.07.2025 - 09:49 [ Kurier.at ]

Russland meldet Eroberung wichtiger Stadt

Die Stadt liegt auf höherem Gelände, was militärisch vorteilhaft ist. Um Tschassiw Jar hat die Ukraine starke Befestigungsanlagen errichtet.

Mit der Eroberung stünde russischen Truppen nun der Weg offen, weiter in Richtung Kramatorsk und Slowjansk vorzurücken. Zudem liegt die Stadt an wichtigen Versorgungsrouten, die die ukrainische Armee im Donbas nutzt. Unter russischer Kontrolle könnte es ukrainische Nachschublinien stören oder durchbrechen.

31.07.2025 - 09:46 [ News.az ]

Russia claims capture of Chasiv Yar after 16-month battle in Eastern Ukraine

Russia announced on Thursday that its forces have captured the strategically important town of Chasiv Yar in eastern Ukraine, following nearly 16 months of intense combat.

If confirmed, the development would mark a major territorial gain for Moscow and could pave the way for further advances toward key Ukrainian strongholds in the Donetsk region, including Kostiantynivka, Sloviansk, and Kramatorsk, News.Az reports, citing Reuters.

26.04.2025 - 05:18 [ Interfax.com.ua ]

Ukraine doesn’t have enough weapons to regain control over Crimea by forced means – Zelenskyy

However, according to him, there are opportunities in the world for sanctions and other economic pressure, diplomatic pressure, “to say this, to discuss territorial issues, but only after a complete, unconditional ceasefire.”

The President stressed that Ukraine is ready for dialogue in any format at any time, but only after a real signal that Russia is ready to end the war.

„Such a signal is a complete, unconditional ceasefire,“ Zelenskyy explained.

15.02.2025 - 06:45 [ CNN ]

Hegseth rules out NATO membership for Ukraine and says Europe must be responsible for country’s security

(February 12, 2025)

Later on Wednesday afternoon, Trump said he agrees with Hegseth and does not “think it’s practical” to have Ukraine join NATO.

“I don’t think it’s practical to have it. Personally, I know that our new secretary of defense is excellent. Pete made a statement today saying that he thinks it’s unlikely or impractical. I think probably that’s true. I think long before President Putin, they said there’s no way they’d allow that. This has been going on for many, many years. They’ve been saying that for a long time that Ukraine did not go into NATO, and I’m okay with that,” Trump said from the Oval Office.

15.02.2025 - 06:39 [ Voice of America ]

US defense chief: Return to Ukraine‘s 2014 borders ‚unrealistic‘

(February 12, 2025)

Speaking in Brussels at NATO headquarters, Hegseth told his fellow defense chiefs, „We want, like you, a sovereign and prosperous Ukraine. But we must start by recognizing that returning to Ukraine’s pre-2014 borders is an unrealistic objective. Chasing this illusionary goal will only prolong the war and cause more suffering.”

No peace talks have been scheduled, but Hegseth said any durable conclusion to the war must include „robust security guarantees to ensure that the war will not begin again.“

01.12.2024 - 23:21 [ Tagesschau.de ]

Selenskyj: Einladung zum NATO-Beitritt „überlebenswichtig“

Er erklärte laut Nachrichtenagentur Reuters, dass jede Einladung, dem Bündnis beizutreten, für das gesamte ukrainische Territorium gelten müsse. Selenskyj räumte allerdings ein, dass das wegen der besetzten Gebiete im Krieg aktuell noch nicht möglich sei.

13.08.2023 - 14:22 [ Independent.co.uk ]

UK cruise missiles will ‘enhance’ Ukraine war effort, says Volodymyr Zelensky

(12 May 2023)

Manufacturer MBDA says the Storm Shadow has a range of more than 150 miles, giving Kyiv the ability to strike behind the Russian front line.

Britain is understood to have received assurances that the missiles will only be used defensively against targets in Ukrainian territory being occupied by Vladimir Putin’s forces.

The Government has not provided detail on the number of missiles to be provided to Kyiv.

13.08.2023 - 14:18 [ ny1.com ]

U.K. sending Ukraine long-range cruise missiles

(May 11, 2023)

Wallace told lawmakers in the House of Commons that Britain is donating Storm Shadow missiles, which have a range of more than 155 miles. He didn‘t say how many are being sent. (…)

The missiles give Ukraine capacity to strike well behind the front lines, including in Russia-occupied Crimea. U.K. media reported that Ukraine has pledged not to use the missiles to attack Russia itself. (…)

He said U.K. officials would not comment publicly on whether Britain had placed any limitations on the missiles‘ use.

07.06.2023 - 07:18 [ Centre for Eastern Studies - osw.waw.pl ]

The Baltic states’ Territorial Defence Forces in the face of hybrid threats

(March 20, 2015)

The concept of so-called ‘hybrid conflict’ is a combination of conventional warfare using state-of-the-art technology (e.g. precision strikes against critical infrastructures, special forces operations) and indirect/non-military actions (no declaration of war, the use of armed civilians, avoiding clashes with the opponent’s regular armed forces, information warfare).[1] Russia might use the presence of large Russian-speaking minorities in the Baltic states as a pretext to interfere with their internal affairs, which increases the possibility of hybrid conflict in Estonia, Latvia or Lithuania. Russia could initiate such a conflict by instigating separatism, supporting protests staged by sections of the Russian-speaking community (e.g. over the status of the Russian language), sending groups of armed individuals wearing unmarked uniforms across the border, organising acts of sabotage against critical infrastructures, staging provocations with an ethnic or cultural background, undertaking actions aimed at disrupting the operation of public administration (e.g. cyber-attacks on government servers) and conducting disinformation campaigns.

06.06.2023 - 09:53 [ Tagesschau.de ]

Unterstützung für Ukraine: BND liefert militärisch nutzbare Daten

(28.09.2022)

Die Daten würden mit einer Verzögerung von bis zu einigen Tagen weitergegeben, heißt es in Berlin. Deshalb seien die Daten „nicht unmittelbar“ für Planung und Steuerung tödlicher Angriffe nutzbar. Der BND übermittelt zudem ausschließlich Bildausschnitte des ukrainischen Staatsgebiets.

27.05.2023 - 22:22 [ Daniel Neun / Radio Utopie ]

Sie weinen, aber sie nehmen: “Polnische Teilung” der Ukraine in vollem Gang

(11.Mai 2014)

Die Menschen sowohl im Osten, wie auch im Westen der Ukraine werden in der bereits seit Jahren explizit von der Berliner Nomenklatura systematisch betriebenen Spaltung und damit Zerstörung des (nach Russland) größten Flächenstaates Osteuropas lediglich benutzt. Der Öffentlichkeit, gerade der in einem der reichsten und einflussreichsten Länder auf dem Planeten, nämlich Deutschland – wird eine Konfrontation vorgegaukelt, die so nicht existiert. Dienen soll diese inszenierte Dialektik zweier sich bekriegender Seiten ausschließlich den imperialen Zwecken der seit bald dreizehn Jahren weltweit wie ein Krebsgeschwür wuchernden Kriegsgewinnlern, feudalen Finanzmogulen, Spionage-Apparaten, Kontrollbehörden, etc. Deren Interesse bedient ein Zerfall, eine Zerstörung der Ukraine, als Dynamo für ein Fortsetzen des bald dreizehnjährigen Krieges „on terror“, mit dem nun nichtfiktiven, sehr realen Feind Russland, China, bzw umgekehrt dem „Westen“.

Denken wir nur ein paar Monate zurück: Deutsche Soldaten gefangen genommen von „Pro-Russen“ in der Ukraine? Gefahr eines „Weltkrieges“? Zerfall der Ukraine?

Nehmen wir an, ich hätte letzten September, so um den 11., eine entsprechende Prognose abgegeben. Wie, meinen Sie, wäre ich genannt worden?

21.03.2023 - 13:34 [ Interfax.com.ua ]

Ukraine is feeding the world, it is in the common interest to ensure that Ukrainian agriculture quickly gets fully operational – Executive Director of UNEP

For 9 years we have been at war in Donbas. It’s the largest industrial part of Ukraine. We see heavy battles now every day. What will we see there when the guns will fall silent? From an environmental point of view

I can‘t speculate because I haven‘t been there. But I can only tell you that from other wars and other conflicts, we know that the more intense the fighting, the longer it takes to restore and rehabilitate.

If we take the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait, where 600 oil wells were set on fire, where you had oil spills everywhere, that took decades. And that was just oil. It was not other things and it was not a protracted war. So, you need to understand that you can have pollution three meters down in the soil. And that will take a very long time.

01.10.2022 - 14:33 [ Daniel Neun / Radio Utopie ]

Sie weinen, aber sie nehmen: “Polnische Teilung” der Ukraine in vollem Gang

(11.Mai 2014)

Die Menschen sowohl im Osten, wie auch im Westen der Ukraine werden in der bereits seit Jahren explizit von der Berliner Nomenklatura systematisch betriebenen Spaltung und damit Zerstörung des (nach Russland) größten Flächenstaates Osteuropas lediglich benutzt. Der Öffentlichkeit, gerade der in einem der reichsten und einflussreichsten Länder auf dem Planeten, nämlich Deutschland – wird eine Konfrontation vorgegaukelt, die so nicht existiert. Dienen soll diese inszenierte Dialektik zweier sich bekriegender Seiten ausschließlich den imperialen Zwecken der seit bald dreizehn Jahren weltweit wie ein Krebsgeschwür wuchernden Kriegsgewinnlern, feudalen Finanzmogulen, Spionage-Apparaten, Kontrollbehörden, etc. Deren Interesse bedient ein Zerfall, eine Zerstörung der Ukraine, als Dynamo für ein Fortsetzen des bald dreizehnjährigen Krieges „on terror“, mit dem nun nichtfiktiven, sehr realen Feind Russland, China, bzw umgekehrt dem „Westen“.

Denken wir nur ein paar Monate zurück: Deutsche Soldaten gefangen genommen von „Pro-Russen“ in der Ukraine? Gefahr eines „Weltkrieges“? Zerfall der Ukraine?

Nehmen wir an, ich hätte letzten September, so um den 11., eine entsprechende Prognose abgegeben. Wie, meinen Sie, wäre ich genannt worden?

01.10.2022 - 14:21 [ theGuardian.com ]

Ukraine‘s EU trade deal will be catastrophic, says Russia

(22 Sep 2013)

The Kremlin aide added that the political and social cost of EU integration could also be high, and allowed for the possibility of separatist movements springing up in the Russian-speaking east and south of Ukraine. He suggested that if Ukraine signed the agreement, Russia would consider the bilateral treaty that delineates the countries‘ borders to be void.

„We don‘t want to use any kind of blackmail. This is a question for the Ukrainian people,“ said Glazyev. „But legally, signing this agreement about association with EU, the Ukrainian government violates the treaty on strategic partnership and friendship with Russia.“ When this happened, he said, Russia could no longer guarantee Ukraine‘s status as a state and could possibly intervene if pro-Russian regions of the country appealed directly to Moscow.

01.10.2022 - 14:13 [ 24hamburg.de ]

Annexion ukrainischer Gebiete: Russland äußerte Plan schon vor 9 Jahren

(today)

Glasjew deutete nach dem Bruch der Ukraine mit Russland an, dass Russland den Vertrag, der die Grenzen zwischen den beiden Ländern festlegt, als ungültig betrachten würde und erwähnte, dass im russischsprachigen Osten und Süden der Ukraine separatistische Bewegungen aufkommen könnten. Russland könne den Status der Ukraine als Staat nicht mehr garantieren und werde möglicherweise intervenieren, wenn sich prorussische Regionen des Landes direkt an Moskau wenden würden, so der Kremlberater.

01.10.2022 - 14:09 [ Dieter Steffmann / Nitter ]

Ukraine-Invasion Tag 218: Putins Plan für die Ukraine lag schon vor 9 Jahren auf dem Tisch via @Tagesspiegel

(today)

16.06.2022 - 05:33 [ ORF.at ]

Bericht über russischen Großangriff in Luhansk

„Der erbitterte Kampf um die Region Luhansk geht weiter“, sagte Saluschnyj gestern am späten Abend laut Reuters. Die Russen setzten Flugzeuge, Panzerfäuste und Artillerie ein, fügte er hinzu.

red, ORF.at/Agenturen

14.06.2022 - 05:46 [ Russia Today ]

Zelensky vows to retake Donbass and Crimea

“And I ask everyone who has such an opportunity to communicate with people in the occupied south…say that there will be liberation,” he continued. “Say it to Gorlovka, Donetsk, Lugansk. Tell them that the Ukrainian army will definitely come.”

“Of course, we will liberate our Crimea as well. Let every Russian official who has seized precious land in Crimea remember: this is not the land where they will have peace,” he threatened.

11.06.2022 - 19:44 [ Yahoo.com ]

Family of British man facing the death penalty in Donbas call for his release

„Shaun should be accorded all the rights of a prisoner of war according to the Geneva Convention and including full independent legal representation. We sincerely hope that all parties will co-operate urgently to ensure the safe release or exchange of Shaun.“

Britain has called the court‘s decision a „sham judgment“ and condemned Russian proxy authorities in Donbas for what it called an „egregious breach“ of the Geneva convention.

09.06.2022 - 20:34 [ ORF.at ]

Kiew: Jeden Tag „bis zu hundert getötete ukrainische Soldaten“

Der ukrainische Präsident Wolodymyr Selenskyj hatte die Zahl der täglich getöteten ukrainischen Soldaten Anfang Juni mit 60 bis 100 beziffert.

Insbesondere rund um die Städte Sjewjerodonezk und Lyssytschansk liefern sich beide Seiten derzeit heftige Gefechte im Donbas. Es sind die letzten Städte der Region Luhansk, die Russland noch nicht erobert hat.

09.06.2022 - 20:28 [ Tagesschau.de ]

Krieg gegen die Ukraine: Heftige Straßenkämpfe in Sjewjerodonezk

„Die Straßenkämpfe finden mit unterschiedlichem Erfolg in den Stadtteilen statt“, teilte Hajdaj mit. „Die Streitkräfte der Ukraine kämpfen um jede Straße und jedes Haus.“ Er räumte zwar ein, dass die russische Armee mehr als 90 Prozent des Luhansker Gebiets und auch den größten Teil von Sjewjerodonezk kontrolliere, doch der Stadt drohe noch keine Einkesselung.

06.06.2022 - 09:18 [ Nexta / Nitter.net ]

#Ukrainian President Vladimir #Zelenskyy reported that he had visited #Lysychansk and #Soledar. These towns are very close to the war zone.

28.05.2022 - 19:12 [ CBS News ]

U.S. leans toward sending powerful multiple launch rockets as Ukraine seeks „heavy weapons“ to stop Russia‘s Donbas offensive

The appeals from Kyiv have apparently been heard in Washington, where a Biden administration official told CBS News senior national security correspondent David Martin that the White House was leaning toward providing multiple launch rocket systems (MLRS) to Ukraine as part of the next package of military aid for the country.

No final decision has been made in Washington, officials told CBS News, …